FY 2023 Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) Leading Edge
The Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) is authorized and funded by Section 30002 of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, (Public Law 117-169) (the “IRA”), titled “Improving Energy Efficiency or Water Efficiency or Climate Resilience of Affordable Housing.” The program seeks to amplify recent technological advancements in utility efficiency and energy generation, bring a new focus on preparing for climate hazards by reducing residents’ and properties’ exposure to hazards, and protecting life, livability, and property when disaster strikes. GRRP is the first HUD program to simultaneously invest in energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, energy generation, green and healthy housing, and climate resilience strategies specifically in HUD-assisted multifamily housing. All the investments under the GRRP will be made in affordable housing communities serving low-income families in alignment with the Administration’s Justice40 initiative. GRRP investments will directly benefit residents of HUD-assisted housing, each a Justice40 disadvantaged community, by improving the quality, health, safety, and comfort of their housing, by strengthening their homes to be more resilient against extreme weather events, and by enhancing their ability to remain in their homes during the recovery from such events. Further, GRRP will advance the Administration’s environmental justice efforts by investing in the quality and resilience of HUD’s rent-assisted portfolio, properties serving the lowest-income Americans and a disproportionate number of older adults and persons with disabilities, often living in communities disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. HUD is offering GRRP funding through three separate cohorts designed to meet the different needs of HUD’s assisted multifamily portfolio. The three cohorts of awards will be implemented through three parallel Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs), as follows:
- The Elements NOFO provides modest awards designed to add proven and highly impactful climate resilience and carbon reduction measures to the construction scopes of in-progress recapitalization transactions.
- The Leading Edge NOFO provides funding to owners aiming to quickly meet ambitious carbon reduction, renewable energy generation, use of building materials with lower embodied carbon, and resilience goals without requiring extensive technical assistance from HUD.
- The Comprehensive NOFO provides funding to initiate recapitalization investments designed from inception around deep retrofits, focused on innovative energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions reductions, green and healthy housing measures, renewable energy generation, use of building materials with lower embodied carbon, and climate resilience investments. Comprehensive Awards are designed for the widest range of properties, including those that have not yet developed a recapitalization plan.
To the greatest extent feasible, these approaches will:
- Substantially improve energy and water efficiency and reduce emissions, including moving properties toward net zero, zero ready, or zero over time energy and emissions performance standards;
- Address climate resilience, including synergies that can be achieved between efficiency, emissions reduction, and resilience investments;
- Enhance indoor air quality and resident health;
- Implement the use of zero-emission electricity generation and energy storage;
- Minimize embodied carbon and incorporate low-emission building materials or processes; and
- Support building electrification.
This NOFO makes available approximately $400,000,000 for the Leading Edge Awards and describes the eligibility and process to select properties for this funding. Housing Notice H 2023-05 describes the program requirements that will govern properties and the use of funds after selection. This NOFO is designed to enable property owners to pursue high levels of energy efficiency, electrification, emissions reduction, climate resilience, and the use of low embodied carbon materials. These awards, provided in the form of GRRP Grants or Surplus Cash Loans, will enable owners to make investments expected to achieve a significant net zero energy or net zero carbon certification.
Applications for eligible properties submitted in a timely manner will be ranked based on the property’s current utility inefficiency as set forth in this NOFO.
Applicants selected for funding under this NOFO will be eligible to receive a grant or a loan repayable from surplus cash up to the lesser of a) $60,000 per unit at the property, b) $10,000,000, or c) the cost of eligible GRRP program investments. The final award amount will be determined based on the cost of eligible GRRP program investments. Funding shall be available to include the construction activities designed to achieve the selected greening certification as well as related climate resilience investments.
HUD expects to make approximately 100 awards from the funds available under this NOFO.
Program Office: Office of Housing
Funding Opportunity Title: Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) Leading Edge
Assistance Listing Number: 14.021
FON: Fr-6700-N-91C
OMB Approval Number:2502-0624
Opening date: 05/11/2023
Application Deadline: 5/16/2024
For additional training and technical assistance materials for applicants, please view www.hud.gov/grrp
Agency contact: Agency contact: GRRP@hud.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who have speech and other communication disabilities may use a relay service to reach the agency contact. To learn more about how to make an accessible telephone call, visit the webpage for the Federal Communications Commission. Note that HUD staff cannot assist applicants in preparing their applications.